Avani Lekhara Wins Gold, Bhavina Patel and Sonalben Patel Miss Medal at Paris Paralympics
India’s Bhavina Patel and Sonalben Patel fell short of securing a medal as they were defeated in the Women’s Doubles table tennis quarterfinal by Korea’s Young A Jung and Sunghye Moon at the Paris Paralympics. The match ended with a scoreline of 5-11, 6-11, 11-9, 6-11.
Meanwhile, reigning Paralympic champion Avani Lekhara maintained her streak and struck gold in the women’s 10m air rifle final at the Paris Paralympics. Shooter Mona Agarwal bagged the bronze medal at the same event.
India started off the Paris Paralympics on a marvellous note after bagging two medals in the women’s 10m air rifle event. From the start of the final, the two Indians were in the top three places, eying for the gold. However, it was Avani who secured the top spot in the women’s 10m air rifle final event. Lekhara dominated the final of the women’s 10m air rifle and secured the top place with 249.7 points, which is also her personal best. South Korea’s Yunri Lee won the silver medal after finishing in second place with a points of 246.8. Meanwhile, India’s Mona bagged the bronze medal with a total points of 228.7 and ended in third place.
Earlier in the day, while Mona finished the qualification round with a score of 623.1 and took the fifth spot, Avani took the second spot and finished with a score of 625.8. Ukraine shooter Iryna Shchetnik, who holds the qualification world record, broke the Paralympic qualification record finishing with a score of 627.5. He bettered the previous mark of 626.0 set by China’s Zhang Cuiping in Tokyo.
As the Paris Paralympics continue, India’s athletes remain focused and determined, with more events lined up in the coming days. This year, India has sent its largest Paralympics contingent ever, comprising 84 athletes across 12 sports, a testament to the country’s expanding para-sports ecosystem. India’s participation in the Paris 2024 Paralympics marks not only an increase in numbers but also in medal hopes, as the nation aims to surpass its previous achievements in Tokyo. Tokyo 2020 was India’s most successful Paralympic Games, with the country winning 19 medals, including five golds, eight silver and six bronzes.
Doubts Revealed
Avani Lekhara -: Avani Lekhara is an Indian Paralympic shooter who competes in the 10m air rifle event. She has won gold medals in international competitions.
Bhavina Patel -: Bhavina Patel is an Indian para table tennis player. She competes in international events and has represented India in the Paralympics.
Sonalben Patel -: Sonalben Patel is another Indian para table tennis player. She also competes in international events and has represented India in the Paralympics.
Paris Paralympics -: The Paris Paralympics is a major international sports event for athletes with disabilities, held in Paris, France. It features various sports competitions.
10m air rifle -: The 10m air rifle is a shooting event where athletes aim at a target from a distance of 10 meters using an air rifle. It requires precision and skill.
Mona Agarwal -: Mona Agarwal is an Indian Paralympic shooter who competes in the 10m air rifle event. She won a bronze medal in the Paris Paralympics.
contingent -: A contingent is a group of people representing a country or organization at an event. In this case, it refers to the group of Indian athletes at the Paralympics.
Tokyo 2020 -: Tokyo 2020 refers to the Paralympic Games held in Tokyo, Japan, in 2021. It was delayed by a year due to the COVID-19 pandemic.